"I Wonder U. How Prince Went beyond Race and Back" By Adilifu Nama

publication date: November 15, 2019

About This Book:
In 1993, Prince infamously changed his name to a unique, unpronounceable symbol. Yet this was only one of a long string of self-reinventions orchestrated by Prince as he refused to be typecast by the music industry’s limiting definitions of masculinity and femininity, of straightness and queerness, of authenticity and artifice, or of black music and white music.

From the link: "Dr. Nama explores the life of Prince through the lens of racial politics."

Thanks but no thanks. I'll just listen to the music.

Who is Adilifu Nama, and did they even know Prince?

Incognegro

rdhull said:

thedoorkeeper said:

rdhull said:

Incognegro

Yeah I like that too. Could be the title of a Prince instrumental piece.

Not saying I like that (sheesh, assume much?)..just mentioning that he is using that AA pop term as a chapter title. Ironically, I don't know. I can just see what the chapter is about now though: the typical "Prince wiped away all traces of race in his works in the early 80s to become more accessible and later went back to his roots when he found his popularity waned" etc etc bl blah blah

I can write these things/books in my sleep (and have)

When is someone going to come up with something original to write about?

rdhull said:

thedoorkeeper said:

rdhull said: Yeah I like that too. Could be the title of a Prince instrumental piece.

Not saying I like that (sheesh, assume much?)..just mentioning that he is using that AA pop term as a chapter title. Ironically, I don't know. I can just see what the chapter is about now though: the typical "Prince wiped away all traces of race in his works in the early 80s to become more accessible and later went back to his roots when he found his popularity waned" etc etc bl blah blah

I can write these things/books in my sleep (and have)

When is someone going to come up with something original to write about?

Come on. 3 years after his death? seriously learned all i nneded to know about Prince while he was alive.

I dont have time to read all the books I have now let alone another.

PennyPurple said:

Who is Adilifu Nama, and did they even know Prince?

.

Teh Googlez, howz doez dey workz?

BartVanHemelen said:

PennyPurple said:

Who is Adilifu Nama, and did they even know Prince?

.

Teh Googlez, howz doez dey workz?

Eww another snide comment from Bart.

Why does it bother you so, that people comment on a discussion forum and ask questions?

You must have a miserable life Bart.

rdhull said:

It's a worthy topic, hard to get right though. There's an equal number of people who say his music should be seen first and foremost as black, and you can make a VERY strong case for that, as there are who argue that it's no race, "black, white, peurto rican, everybody just a freakin" or "purple" music.

I don't mean people who say his blackness is too often erased by white critics (a valid criticism, and i'm a white (european) guy so I need to watch what I say) are incorrect, but that the truth is that his music walked a very strange line on race that needs to be properly explored. For example he did appeal to the white audience, and some of that was approaching cynicism on his part; i.e. get some white folks in the band, add a bit more guitar to soften the mix for pop radio - but at the same time he took his art very seriously, he wasn't tossing out throwaway pop songs just for a hit (at least not under his name), what he released he believed in.

I feel that simply celebrating his Blackness, his African-American-ness, while worthy and needed to tip the balance, has also been done before. People need to go further.

A decent book about his race would have to explore all that imho. Maybe I should write it

jaawwnn said:

I don't mean people who say his blackness is too often erased by white critics (a valid criticism, and i'm a white (european) guy so I need to watch what I say) are incorrect, but that the truth is that his music walked a very strange line on race that needs to be properly explored. For example he did appeal to the white audience, and some of that was approaching cynicism on his part; i.e. get some white folks in the band, add a bit more guitar to soften the mix for pop radio - but at the same time he took his art very seriously, he wasn't tossing out throwaway pop songs just for a hit (at least not under his name), what he released he believed in.

A point to be argued. When Graffiti Bridge bombed, Diamonds And Pearls has some genius, but also has some cringe worthy moments....and at the end...Hit N Run Phase One, he was tossing out the flavor of the day, with Auto Tune, and the trends of the day...The "Prize Patrol" Horn sound effect on Art Official Cage which has been used more than Police sirens in rap songs. Still, glad that Phase Two was much better. A much better swan song for P.

stillwaiting said:

jaawwnn said:

I don't mean people who say his blackness is too often erased by white critics (a valid criticism, and i'm a white (european) guy so I need to watch what I say) are incorrect, but that the truth is that his music walked a very strange line on race that needs to be properly explored. For example he did appeal to the white audience, and some of that was approaching cynicism on his part; i.e. get some white folks in the band, add a bit more guitar to soften the mix for pop radio - but at the same time he took his art very seriously, he wasn't tossing out throwaway pop songs just for a hit (at least not under his name), what he released he believed in.

A point to be argued. When Graffiti Bridge bombed, Diamonds And Pearls has some genius, but also has some cringe worthy moments....and at the end...Hit N Run Phase One, he was tossing out the flavor of the day, with Auto Tune, and the trends of the day...The "Prize Patrol" Horn sound effect on Art Official Cage which has been used more than Police sirens in rap songs. Still, glad that Phase Two was much better. A much better swan song for P.

He was pandering to a younger audience that was not listening to him in the first place. Sad, but he would have come out with something great had he lived. I always knew he had one more great album in him...3121 and Disc 1 of Lotus Flow3r were great comebacks

jaawwnn said:

It's a worthy topic, hard to get right though. There's an equal number of people who say his music should be seen first and foremost as black, and you can make a VERY strong case for that, as there are who argue that it's no race, "black, white, peurto rican, everybody just a freakin" or "purple" music.

I don't mean people who say his blackness is too often erased by white critics (a valid criticism, and i'm a white (european) guy so I need to watch what I say) are incorrect, but that the truth is that his music walked a very strange line on race that needs to be properly explored. For example he did appeal to the white audience, and some of that was approaching cynicism on his part; i.e. get some white folks in the band, add a bit more guitar to soften the mix for pop radio - but at the same time he took his art very seriously, he wasn't tossing out throwaway pop songs just for a hit (at least not under his name), what he released he believed in.

I feel that simply celebrating his Blackness, his African-American-ness, while worthy and needed to tip the balance, has also been done before. People need to go further.

A decent book about his race would have to explore all that imho. Maybe I should write it

I'm reading a book now called the Last Utopians, and Prince resonated throught this book